SportsBeat KC

Missouri coaches and athletes joined the the anti-racism demonstrations this week but in a different way. Football coach Eli Drinkwitz, assistants and several players were joined by athletic director Jim Sterk, basketball coaches Cunozo Martin and Robin Pingeton and university system president Mun Choi and local police officers in a march from the Columns to the Boone County Courthouse, where they...

The biggest NFL story to come out of the nation-wide protests is happening now. In an interview, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees repeated a stance he’s had about standing for the national anthem before games. Brees said anything but standing at attention is disrespectful. The kneeling that took place before games three years ago over racism and social injustice could happen this year in...

For the first time in nearly three decades the Chiefs won’t leave the metro area for training camp. The NFL is requiring teams to use their training facilities this summer because of health concerns related to COVID-19. The team or NFL hasn’t said fans couldn’t attend...yet. But if fans aren’t allowed or attendance is limited that would be a blow to the fan base that figured to arrive in record nu...

The role of teams and high profile athletes in times of protest and unrest is the topic on today’s SportsBeat KC. Kansas City Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and Star news reporter Glenn Rice join host Blair Kerkhoff in discussing the protest scene in Kansas City and how some of the Chiefs and other teams have reacted to the developing story. Also, what was Kansas City’s response to previous moments...

The Royals made news on Friday with the organization saying it would continue to pay its minor league players, more than 200 of them, throughout the summer. The minor league season is in doubt because of COVID-19. Also, general manager Dayton Moore said that Royals employees would avoid furloughs and layoffs even with baseball’s future uncertain. We’ll hear from Moore, Royals beat writer Lynn Wort...

Chiefs first-round draft pick, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is confident he’s doing all he can from his Louisiana home to prepare for life NFL. He also has some non-football passions that’s helping pass the time until he can arrive in Kansas City. You might be surprised to hear what’s keeping him busy. Chiefs’ fans know about the non-football interest of veteran offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz. He lov...

The college football calendar is starting to populate with dates toward a return, with major conferences like the Big 12 establishing reporting days for players. On-campus team activities can start as soon as June 15. Teams will proceed with caution, but these are important first steps back for college sports, which have been shelved since mid-March, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached a crisis pit...

Everyone has their list of greatest plays or moments in Kansas City sports history, or least their favorites. The Star is putting together a list that asks the question: Do you remember where you were when this play happened? It could be from a Chiefs Super Bowl, a Royals World Series, a Final Four or bowl game. But it was that moment that likely changed the outcome and led to a huge victory. The...

Game 1 of the 2015 World Series arrived on the same day as the death of Edinson Volquez’s father, Danio. The news reached Royals general manager Dayton Moore, who relayed it to manager Ned Yost, before Volquez knew. With game time approaching and Volquez slated to take the ball for the Royals, a decision was needed. Would the team let Volquez know? The team made the call in consultation with the V...

One shot at a fourth-and-15 from the kicking team’s 25 instead of an onside kick when trailing? Give the Chiefs some of that. That proposal is on the board, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked about it Friday. Reid’s response: He’s old-school enough to not want the change and smart enough to know that with Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs would have an advantage in that situation. Reid covered several...

The Royals had pushed through the Houston Astros in the division series and the Toronto Blue Jays to win the American League. It was on to the World Series for the second straight year. The series tone was set in Game 1 against the New York Mets. Alex Gordon’s dramatic home run in the ninth sent the game to extra innings and the Royals won in 14. In five games, they captured the second World Serie...

For the first time since Super Bowl week, Chiefs coordinators Eric Bieniemy, Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Toub met the media, and there was plenty of ground to cover. Bieniemy’s offense returns nearly all the firepower from last season and has added first-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. On defense, the Chiefs selected linebacker Willie Gay in the second around and picked up a former first-roun...

The college basketball season abruptly because of the COVID-19 pandemic but the business of college hoops continues. Missouri Coach Cuonzo Martin chatted with Star beat reporter Souichi Terada and SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff about the Tigers’ season, what to expect next year and how Martin is communicating with his team in a shutdown environment. Also, student-athletes will soon be able to t...

Where else would the heartbeat of the College Football Playoff be but Prairie Village? That’s where Bill Hancock lives, and he’s the executive director of the organization that operates college football’s national championship. Recently, Star columnist and SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff visited Hancock, on his driveway. We pulled up chairs, maintaining social distancing. We talked about college...

My eyes have always enjoyed Mellinger MInutes, you know the Tuesday column on steroids by the Kansas City Star’s Sam Mellinger. Now, I get to add a sense: Mellinger MInutes for Your Ears. Sam and producer Savanna Smith have been putting together this podcast since late March and it’s been terrific stuff. Sam’s landed some great guests and he answers your sports questions. This week Royals third ba...

The Chiefs will have the same identity and same hunger for 2020 that they brought into their Super Bowl championship season. That’s the sense from Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce. He covered several topics this week, including enjoying the Super Bowl afterglow, dealing with Covid-19 and the inspiration for his stage performance at the Union Station portion of the Super Bowl parade. Remember, Kelce...

In 1980, the sports world was focused on Kansas City and George Brett. Could he become the first player since Ted Williams in 1941 to hit .400 in a season. Brett came as close as anyone, carrying a .400 batting average as late as mid-September before “settling” for a .390 average. Brett recalls that summer of fun and some frustration on SportsBeat KC with Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and host Bla...

The 2015 American League Championship Series matched the Royals against the Toronto Blue Jays, and although Kansas City never trailed in the series the six-game set was filled with huge moments, clutch plays and intense drama. The comeback that started with a misplay pop fly in Game 2, the Lorenzo Cain dash around the bases and Wade Davis’ closer role extended by rain in Game 6 were some of the me...

The NFL schedules are out, and who has a tougher opening month than the Chiefs? Four games, three division champions from last season and two on the road. Chiefs beat writer Herbie Teope weighs in on the good and bad of the Chiefs’ 2020 slate, and picks some matchups he’s excited about. One or two may surprise you. After a break, we’ll hear from undrafted free agent punter Tommy Townsend. It’s not...

In March, Kansas delivered its response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations, which consisted of five Level 1 violations against Bill Self’s men’s basketball program. On Thursday, The NCAA responded to KU’s response ... forcefully. In 92 pages, the NCAA laid out its case against the Jayhawks. Star beat writer Jesse Newell has been on top of the story through all of the filings and helps break down...

The first Kansas City pro athletes have returned to the practice field. It wasn’t a full-go workout for Sporting KC, but they were one of a handful of Major League Soccer teams to get back to some limited action Wednesday and Thursday. And it felt great, said team captain and veteran defender Matt Besler, even as COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic precautions were exercised, too. On this episode of the...

Not the most talented team Ned Yost had managed or coached, but the 2015 World Series champion was the closest and most clutch. They proved it time and again in the playoffs and World Series, with eight of their 11 victories posted in comeback fashion. Yost joined Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff in a conversation about how he, the staff and front office had to s...

The Chiefs landed their second first-round pick from the 2017 draft. If this one turns out as well as the first one...The Chiefs have signed Taco Charlton. He was the 28th overall selection of the Cowboys in 2017 and Kansas City is his third team in four years. Also in that draft, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, taken 10th overall. Beat writer Herbie Teope talks Taco Charlton and other Chiefs topics...

The Royals entered the 2015 MLB playoffs with the American League’s best record, but they always seemed to play from behind in the division series against the Houston Astros. Down two games to one and trailing 6-2 as they came to bat in the top of the eighth inning of Game 4 at Minute Maid Park, the Royals and their season were headed to a crushing conclusion. Five runs and one insane rally later,...

What does Patrick Mahomes think of the fifth-year option exercised by the Chiefs earlier this week, and of the possibility of signing an extension? Also, how much contact does Mahomes have with former teammate Alex Smith? Mahomes addressed those topics and more with reporters on Friday and the responses are here, on SportsBeat KC. Also, there’s an NFL player on the front line of combating the COVI...